How to look after the Pony Club Dad

Date posted: 15/08/2018

This lovable breed is a common feature on the Pony Club circuit but is often overlooked to the point of neglect. Viewed by some as an unnecessary accessory, they are nevertheless very useful for heavy duty work and removing spiders from riding hats – so we must take care of them.

Here are some useful tips for keeping the Pony Club Dad happy and healthy:

Keep them fed and watered

Whilst normally hardy and requiring little attention, lack of food and drink can make the Pony Club Dad irritable and quite snappy – so make sure there are plentiful supplies of both. However, caution must be applied. Whilst the common saying goes “You can take a horse to water but you cannot make him drink” and applies to most breeds – this DOES NOT apply to the Pony Club Dad. In fact, if you take the Dad to a watering hole he will not stop drinking until he feels the need to roll over and sleep – so always keep him on a short rein and have the crop ready if he is stubborn.

Shade and shelter

The Pony Club Dad has quite a short span of attention and frequently needs a sleep (see point one above) – so it is always best to have a quiet spot in the shade close at hand. Sometimes the best solution is to shut him in your vehicle. After a few protests he will normally settle down for a snooze and emerge in much better form for the evening chores

A good coat

These are creatures of habit and much prefer a filthy old coat to a brightly coloured new one – and it is best to humour them on this subject. There may come a point when this becomes a health hazard and then you will need to be firm and positive. If he really objects – see point one again and you may be able to slip on the new one while he is sleeping.

Lots of contact

Although seemingly quite tough, the Pony Club Dad is really a big softie and loves contact. There is some evidence that hugs might actually work better than commands and the crop – but this has not been scientifically proven as yet.

So there you have it. The Pony Club Dad is a simple beast. Just follow these simple rules and you will get many years of company and amusement from these gentle giants of the Pony Club world.